What exactly is IGTV and what do you need to know, one year after its launch?
Instagram Television, nicknamed IGTV, is a new application, separate from the Instagram app that allows user to post videos that are up to one hour long.
However, users can access IGTV from their own Instagram and watch the variety of channels provided. IGTV channels range from those created by the accounts followed and also through recommendations based on user’s interest.
This new application heavily rivals Youtube and places Instagram into a new category of content creation.
What you need to know?
If Instagrammers are looking to increase their variety of content and channel of communication then IGTV can be a very useful tool. IGTV encourages influencers not to limit the length of their content and to gain more visibility. This allows influencers to be more authentic and creative.
Now and in the continuing future, brands and agencies are able to use IGTV for influence marketing and brand campaigns. It seems as if IGTV and the expansion of Live Content is just getting started.
IGTV is officially one year old and its success is only increasing. In the past five years, statistics have shown that the younger generations watch 1/3 less television from the television screen (source). Nowadays, people are doing away with cable and diving into a world of social media and streaming services.
However, there are still issues to be worked out with Instagram Television.
Currently, IGTV is ad free. This comes with both positives and negatives for a content creator. On the upside, this allows them more freedom to create their own content and to increase their authenticity. However, this also makes it harder for influencers to monetize their content.
An Instagram spokesperson told Recode: “We are committed to helping [creators] build their careers and make a living doing this work. We’ll be exploring and testing ways to help creators monetize.” So, influencers needs are being heard and there may be changes for the future.
At the moment, how can brands and creators maximize their ROI?
“IGTV’s longer video format means more opportunity to engage users, more creative license and more potential to embed brands into the content. This could add another dimension to a brand’s recognition and messaging, beyond lead generation. Brands may also want to consider repurposing or reposting Facebook or YouTube videos with high production values on IGTV, in order to maximize reach and engage new segments of their social following in a budget-effective way” (source).
Innovative ways to share content, such as IGTV, continue to be explored and used in the world of entertainment. Therefore the influence marketing industry must recognize this transformation and adapt their resources.
If you’re into video content creation, we suggest “Vine to Youtube: The Constant Rise of Youtube Influencers“.
